1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to electric connectors for use with an automotive slide door and more particularly to electric connectors of a type which comprises a first connector part mounted to the slide door and a second connector part mounted to the vehicle body, so that upon closing of the door, the first and second connector parts become mated to achieve an electric connection therebetween.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In Japanese Patent First Provisional Publication No. 1-164647, there is shown an electric lock system of an automotive slide door, which comprises an electrically actuated lock device mounted to a slide door and a striker secured to a vehicle body. When the slide door is moved in a closing direction by a manual labor to an almost closed given position at which a latch member of the lock device makes a so-called "half-latch engagement" with the stroker, the latch member is driven, by an electric drive means mounted in the door, to its fully latching position thereby to lock the door at a fully closed position.
In order to feed the electric drive means with an electric power from a battery mounted in the vehicle body, an electric connector is used, which comprises a first connector part mounted to the vehicle body and connected through electric cables to the battery and a second connector part mounted to the slide door and connected through electric cables to the electric drive means, so that upon reaching of the door to the almost closed given position, the first and second connector parts are coupled to achieve an electric connection therebetween thereby to feed the electric drive means with electric power.
However, in the electric connectors of the type mentioned hereinabove, it is difficult to obtain assured and stable electric connection between the first and second connector parts due to their inherent constructions. Furthermore, the first connector part tends to encounter a short-circuit due to naked arrangement of contact pins installed therein.